Saw horse



April 13, 1965 J. R. MARTIN ETAL 3,177,974

SAW HORSE Filed Aug. 51, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y James 1?. Mar 112 /3 12a By 0201/? SIoc/rfon 10 l 12b INVENTO s April 13, 1965 J. R. MARTIN ETAL 3,177,974

SAW HORSE Filed Aug. 31. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5L fimes R. Marfm United States Patent 3,177,974 SAW HORSE James R. Martin and Carol F. Stockton, Seattle, Wash assignors to Easy Horse Inc., Seattle, Wash, a corporation of Washington Filed Aug. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 135,354 2 Claims. (Cl. 182-155) Our invention relates to a folding saw horse which is also well adapted for use as a scaffold or trestle to stand on and for other purposes.

Saw horses as commonly employed heretofore lack much by way of convenience and do not supply a sturdy, firm base for accurate and precise sawing. Likewise they often are not adapted for more than a single use as for example a support. In storing the divergent leg supports take up room and/ or otherwise leave much to be desired.

Objects of our invention are to provide a saw horse or like device which is strong and sturdy in construction, which is not of heavy weight, which is firm and rigid when it is set up, and which is capable of being compactly folded, without disassembling any of its parts, to facilitate storage and transportation of the same and at the same time to be adapted to multi-purpose uses.

Other objects are to provide a folding saw horse which is durable and long lasting and not expensive to make and one which is easy to set up and easy to fold and convenient and time saving to use, and one which can be used as a support or scaffold on which a workman can stand with safety and comfort and without danger of tipping while doing work, to provide accurate and precise operation in producing the articles made thereon.

Another object is to provide a folding saw horse or like device comprising a platform or work support which has, adjacent to each end thereof, a single leg assembly formed of two relatively crossed rigidly secured together leg members, each leg assembly being pivoted to the work support and being further connected with the work support by a folding toggle link type brace member which has a spring positioned and arranged so that when the leg assemblies are folded the spring will exert a force tending to hold them in the folded position and when the leg assemblies are extended the force of the spring will yieldingly hold the links in an extended and locked position which positively prevents folding of the leg assemblies until after the links have been moved from this locked position.

Another object -is to provide a folding saw horse comprising a work support having therein a relatively long straight longitudinally extending slot through which a saw can be operated and by which the saw will be guided and further having therein transverse and diagonal grooves disposed at predetermined angles as to said longitudinal slot and serving as guides for positioning lumber on said Work support whereby the lumber so positioned may be cut .at predetermined angles by a saw operated through said longitudinal slot or along a parallel edge of said work support. Also, said grooves are capable of receiving a removable fence which serves as a guide against which the lumber can be positioned and said slot also being adapted to reinforce and cooperate in supporting a piece of thin material placed thereover for sawing by a saw operated through said slot, with the thin piece of material supported closely adjacent both sides of the saw, thus minimizing the danger of splitting the thin material. Thus, a smooth out is insured without lateral small splintering.

Another object is to provide a saw horse which is constructed with its parts so positioned and dimensioned that, in the ordinary use of a saw on said saw horse, there will be substantially no danger of the saw contacting metal 3,177,974 Patented A r. 13, 1965 parts of the saw horse or cutting into the legs of said saw horse.

While the device must be light in weight the same must be very strong in proportion to its light weight. The device of our invention has been tested and supports over 800 pounds and yet our device weighs only about ten pounds. It has not been tested for its maximum strength. In spite of its several joints and moving braces, it must remain firm and rigid when set up for use, and it must so remain firm and rigid after extended use. This still must be true even after being exposed to repeated alternate wetting by rain and drying. It must provide for a multiplicity of uses and must be easily and compactly stored.

The above mentioned general objects of my invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the following drawings, through which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a saw horse embodying our invention, showing the same set up and ready for use;

FIG. 2 is an end view, on a larger scale than FIG. 1, of our saw horse;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of our saw horse;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of our saw horse;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing the legs in a folded position;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan looking in the direction of line 6-6 of FIG. 5, the legs being in a folded position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing parts of a leg assembly;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in elevation, on a larger scale than FIGS. 1 to 7, showing a folding brace member with the links thereof extended;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational View similar to FIG. 8 showing the links in a folded position; and

FIG. 10 is a View in longitudinal cross section of a preferred form of semi-tubular pin for mounting the legs, that is, a pin adapted to be upset on its end and prevent its turning in the wood and its becoming detached.

This saw horse comprises a normally horizontal deck or platform or work support 10 which preferably is a strong piece of wood about two inches thick, six inches wide, and three feet long, but which obviously can be varied in size and shape. Two folding leg assemblies L of duplicate construction are pivotally connected with the lower side of the work support 10 adjacent the respective ends thereof and can be moved between an extended or operative position in which they are shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, and a folded or inoperative position in which they are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Each leg assembly L is formed of two leg members 11 which are crossed near their upper ends and are notched and interfitted and securely glued to each other at the location where they are crossed so that the two leg members 11 of each leg assembly L lie in a common plane. A mortise notch 11a is shown in FIG. 7 in one of the leg members 11 and glue 11b in said notch is indicated by stippling.

The upper end of each leg member 11 may be mounted by a pivot pin 12 with a bracket 13 of inverted trough or of channel shape. Each bracket 13 is rigidly secured by screws 14 to under side of the work support 10 near one end thereof. Preferably the inner end of each pivot pin 12 .is provided with a suitable transverse hole and a nail 15 is passed through this hole and driven into the adjacent leg member 11 to prevent withdrawal of the pivot pin 12. The sides of the brackets 13 together with the link 16 and nail 15 lend support to the upper ends of the leg members 11 which helps to prevent them from spreading and in this way strengthens the leg assemblies against spreading of the legs. Preferably, the two leg assemblies,

L are dimensioned so that they position the top surface of the work support about twenty-two inches above the floor.

A toggle-link type folding brace connects each leg assembly L with the work support (see FIGS. 1 to 9). Each brace comprises two links 16 and 17 pivotally connectcd with each other by a rivet 18. The lowermost end of each link 16 is connected by a pivot member 20 with the adjacent leg assembly L immediately below the location where the leg members 11 are crossed Each pivot member 26 may be a large nail driven transversely into the two leg members 11 of the assembly L and passing through a suitable perforation in the end portion of the link 16. Each nail 16 not only serves as a pivot for the upper end of a link member 17 but it further serves as an additional securing means to help hold the notched and mortised units of the two leg members together. When a leg assembly L is in an extended position, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end portion of the link 16, which is connected therewith, is positioned within a narrow notch 21, FIG. 7, which is formed by making an upright saw cut in the leg assembly L at the location where the two legs are crossed. The link 16 is thus braced in transverse directions by the side walls of the notch 21.

In FIG. 10 a preferred form of pin, a semi-tubular pin 12a is mounted in the wood of the leg 11 which provides for its ends 12!) to be upset by a die as shown in full line in FIG. 10. This type of pin engages the wood by its upturned end 12b which prevents the pin 12a from turning in the wood and prevents the said pin from becoming free of its engagement in the wood. The upset end puts the surrounding area of wood under compression and holds the pin 12a fast against turning in the wood and against withdrawal thus the swinging of the leg 11 is confined to rotating the pin 12a in the upturned flange of the channel 13 or trough-shaped bracket. This avoids the use of means similar to pin or nail 15 which in some degree may tend to weaken the leg.

All this manifests even in this feature the utmost care taken to provide functional cooperation of all parts to provide reinforcement of each said parts in making a unitary structure which supplies strength and firmness throughout the device.

Reverting to structure of FIGS. 1 to 9, the uppermost end of each link member 17 is positioned within a narrow notch 22 formed by making a saw-cut in the bottom side of the work support 10v and is pivoted to the work support 10 by a transverse pivot 23, which may be a nail. It will be noted that the nails 20 and 23 directly connect the ends of the respective links 16 and 17 with the wooden parts of the saw horse. This obviates the use of brackets and like devices for making these connections.

Connecting the ends of the links 16 and 17 directly with the leg assembly L and work support 10 without the use of brackets or like fastening devices reduces to a minimum the number of parts used in constructing and attaching the leg brace members and in so doing reduces the cost of construction and at the same time provides a sturdy and efficient structure.

The side walls of each narrow notch 22 brace the upper end portion of each upper link member 17 and the two notches 21 and 22 thus cooperate to render each folding brace member more firm and rigid when the leg assembly and brace members are in the extended or set up position.

The lower edge of the upper end portion of each lower link 16 is cut away to form a notch 24, at the lower end of which is a transversely extending spring anchor lug 25. The lower edge of the lower end portion of each upper link 17 is provided with a notch 26 and with two oppositely directed transversely extending lugs 27 and 28. The lug 27 is positioned near the pivot member 18 and a helical tension spring 30 is connected between said lug 27 and the lug of the lower link 16. The lug 28 is a stop lug formed near the lower end of the link 17 and adapted to engage with the lower edge of the notched part 24 of the 30, being off-center as respects the pivot 18, see FIGS. 3

and 8, will be yieldingly holding the two links 16 and 17 inan extended position. To fold the leg assembly L, a downward pressure is exerted on the pivotally connected end portions of the two links 16 and 17. This will cause said links to pivot about therivet 18 and will first move the two anchor lugs 25 and 27 apart and elongate the spring 36. As soon as the axis of the rivet 18 passes center or crosses the line of pull of the spring 30, the two lugs 25 and 27 will begin to move toward each other and the pull of the spring 30 will be effective to help move the links 16 and 17 into the folded position, in which they are shown in FIG. 9, and the leg assemblies L into the folded positions in which they are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and will yieldingly hold the leg assembly L in the folded positions. Each spring 30 thus tends to hold the leg assembly L with which it is connected in a folded position, and by holding the two links with which it is connected extended, when the leg assembly they supportis extended, it positively holds the leg assembly in the. extended position and prevents accidental folding of the same. The two leg assemblies L are divergently inclined when they are extended, see FIG. 4, and this insures that the work support 10 will be held rigid while in use. It will be noted from FIGS. 2 and 4 that the incline of the leg assemblies is great enough so that the legs 11 contact the floor a short distance outwardly from the vertical planes of the ends of the deck 10. This makes it substantially impos-. sible for a workman, in using the device as a scaffold, to tip the same endwise even if he stands on an outermost end portion of said deck 10. The deck 10 is wide enough for a workman to conveniently stand on. A fairly long longitudinally extending slot or saw cut 31, FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, is provided in the work support 10, preferably about one inch inwardly from one edge thereof and extends entirely through said support 10. One function of this slot 31 is to facilitate the sawing of thin pieces of wood, the thin pieces of wood being laid over the cut and supported on both sides of the saw and the saw working through the cut. When thus supported close to and on both sides of the saw, a thin piece of wood is less liable to split and splinter and a smoother cut is-insured. Also, three narrow grooves 32, 33 and 34 of shallow depth and narrow width are provided in the work support 10 about midway of its length. The groove 32 is at right angles to the length of the work support and to slot 31 and is squaring groove useful in facilitating the square cutting of pieces of lumber. Also, slot or groove 31 can be used as a guide in squarely marking pieces of lumber which are to be cut. Each slot or groove 33 and 34 is at an angle of forty-five degrees to the length of the work support 10 and is a miter guide groove, useful as a guide in positioning pieces of lumber which are to be diagonally miter cut at an angle of forty-five degrees. The slots or grooves 33.and 34 can also be used as guides to facilitate the marking of lumber for miter cutting. All of the grooves 32, 33 and 34 are deep enough so that a straight, flat, thin, readily removable positioning member or fence 38, a fragment of which is shown in groove 33 in FIG. 1, can be supported on edge in any one of said grooves in an upright position. This fence 38 can conveniently be a thin piece of-fiber or plastic or like material about one inch wide and from four to five inches long. To square cut a board at an angle of ninety degrees to a selected edge thereof, the fence 38 is placed in the groove 32, the selected edge of the board is held flatly against the fence and the cut is made with the saw operating either through the slot 31 or along an edge of the work support 10. To miter cut a board at a forty-five degree angle to a selected edge thereof, the fence 38 is used in one of the miter grooves 33 or 34 with the selected edge of the board resting against it and the cut is made with the saw operating in the slot 31 or along an edge of the Work support 10.

A piece of lumber can be quickly and easily marked for square or miter cutting in a similar manner, by aligning an edge of the piece, either by eye or by the use of the fence 38, with one of the grooves 32, 33 or 34 and marking the same along an edge of the work support 10. Also, a piece of lumber can be marked for square or miter cutting by placing one edge of the piece parallel with the edge of the work support or parallel with the slot 31 and then using a straight edge and marking the piece of lumber in alignment with the selected groove 32, 33 or 34.

Having the leg assembly made as above detailed provided by reason of its mortise forms a very strong and rigid construction. The tubular pin 12a mounting in the flange of the bracket 13 provides for binding the said flanges tight against the rigid construction of the leg assembly, and this functions to maintain the mounting of the leg assembly in the bracket 13 rigid and firm. The braces 16 and 17 are placed under tension when the leg assembly diverging from the vertical are placed under a weight at the end portion of the support 10 and this force, tending to spread the leg assembly outwardly, reacts under the very heavy Weight placed on the end portion of the support 16 to make the parts bind and become firm in their functioning thus cooperating in holding the deck 10 in supporting position.

Preferably, the work support 10 is provided, adjacent at least one end, with -a transverse hole 35 which is adapted to receive a peg or other type of stop member 36, shown at the left.

Preferably, the Work support 10 is provided, adjacent at least one end, with a transverse hole 35 which is adapted to receive a peg or other type of stop member 36, shown at the left in FIG. 3. A piece of lumber can rest against the stop member 36 while it is being planed or otherwise worked on. Also, the hole 35 facilitates out of the way storage of the saw horse by hanging it against a wall when it is folded and not in use.

Throughout the device it is manifest that each part is so constructed and positioned as to cooperate with and functionally reinforce other parts to provide a saw horse characterized by its strength, lightness of weight, firmness and enduring qualities and stanchness to supply precision and accuracy of products made thereon.

Other variations and modifications will be readily discerned by those skilled in the art, Within the scope of the following claims:

We claim:

1. A folding saw horse comprising a plane flat work support of Wood structure; fixed crossed leg assemblies forming with their mountings a truss construction having their respective upper ends pivotally connected with the under side of said work support adjacent the opposite ends of said Work support for folding movement of the leg assemblies between a position in which they are approximately perpendicular to said work support and a position when folded in which they are approximately parallel to said underneath said work support; a saw cut forming a narrow notch in the inner side of each leg assembly a substantial distance below the pivoted end thereof; another saw cut forming a narrow notch in the bottom of said work support a substantial distance inwardly from each end thereof; two toggle link type brace members each having a portion thereof adjacent its outer end positioned in the narrow notch in said leg assemblies when the leg assembly is substantially perpendicular to the work support and its inner end positioned in the adjacent narrow notch in said work support; a pivot member connecting the outer end of each brace member with a leg assembly; and :another pivot member connecting the inner end of each brace member with said work support, said notches bracing and affording transverse support to said brace member when the brace member is extended.

2. A folding saw horse comprising, a structure of wood having a narrow, substantially 6 inch plank work support; two metal brackets, each of inverted channel shape providing vertical flanges rigidly transversely secured to the under side of said work support adjacent the respective ends thereof and set inwardly of the edges of the Work support so as not to be exposed to being engaged by a saw; [two fixed cross leg assemblies of relatively heavy square timber material of truss construction, transversely disposed as to said support having their ground engaging foot portion disposed slightly further apart than the length between their pivoted connections with the support and having their upper end portions pivotally and adjacently connected to the inside of the metal flange, the top of the left leg of the assembly pivoted to the inside of the vertical flange of the bracket on the right hand side and the top of the right hand leg of the assembly pivoted to the inside of the vertical flange of the bracket on the left hand side; two slots, the first one in the leg assembly at the juncture of the legs and the second one in the underside of the support; two toggle metal link folding brace members pin pivotally connected as to their lower end portion in the said first slot in the lower side of the junction and the upper portion of each of said brace pin pivotally connected in the second of said slots, the said links thus extending longitudinally of the medial plane of the said support, the support thus being held upright by two trusses which are stiffened by the brace members being engaged by the sides of the slots and having the minimum of metal parts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 393,210 11/88 Chapman 248-436 1,191,687 7/16 Gillett l44288 X 1,411,805 4/22 Muller 144-286 X 1,469,860 10/ 23 Walper l44288 1,479,209 1/24 Topp 144-286 X 1,904,060 4/33 Kuhn 108--132 2,284,003 5/42 Luppert 108-81 3,001,559 9/61 Szopo 144-286 FOREIGN PATENTS 481,789 3/52 Canada.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

MORRISS M. FRITZ, BENJAMIN BENDETI,

Examiners. 

1. A FOLDING SAW HORSE COMPRISING A PLANE FLAT WORK SUPPORT OF WOOD STRUCTURE; FIXED CROSSED LEG ASSEMBLIES FORMING WITH THEIR MOUNTINGS A TRUSS CONSTRUCTION HAVING THEIR RESPECTIVE UPPER ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID WORK SUPPORT ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID WORK SUPPORT FOR FOLDING MOVEMENT OF THE LEG ASSEMBLIES BETWEEN A POSITION IN WHICH THEY ARE APPROXIMATELY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID WORK SUPPORT AND A POSITION WHEN FOLDED IN WHICH THEY ARE APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL TO SAID UNDERNEATH SAID WORK SUPPORT; A SAW CUT FORMING A NARROW NOTCH IN THE INNER SIDE OF EACH LEG ASSEMBLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BELOW THE PIVOTED END THEREOF; ANOTHER SAW CUT FORMING A NARROW NOTCH IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID WORK SUPPORT A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE INWARDLY FROM EACH END THEREOF; TWO TOGGLE LINK TYPE BRACE MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PORTION THEREOF ADJACENT ITS OUTER END POSITIONED IN THE NARROW NOTCH IN SAID LEG ASSEMBLIES WHEN THE LEG ASSEMBLY IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE WORK SUPPORT AND ITS INNER END POSITIONED IN THE ADJACENT NARROW NOTCH IN SAID WORK SUPPORT; A PIVOT MEMBER CONNECTING THE OUTER END OF EACH BRACE MEMBER WITH A LEG ASSEMBLY; AND ANOTHER PIVOT MEMBER CONNECTING THE INNER END OF EACH BRACE MEMBER WITH SAID WORK SUPPORT, SAID NOTCHES BRACING AND AFFORDING TRANSVERSE SUPPORT TO SAID BRACE MEMBER WHEN THE BRACE MEMBER IS EXTENDED. 